Apparatus for transferring freight



Sept. 21, 1926. 1,600,811

B. F. FITCH I APPARATUS FOR 'TRANSFERRING FREIGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 1924 l n Int: W!

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HITOZZNBL/J Sept. 21 1926.

' 1,600,811 B. F. FITCH APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING FREIGHT Filed April-8, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Maw 67 4,

Sept. 21 1 926:. 7 B. FZJFITCH- APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING FREIGHT Sept.21 1926..

B. F. FITCH APPARATUS FORVTRANSFERRING FREIGHT I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledAp1 'il 1924 zg I flrz ozav Patented Sept. 21, 1925. i

IBENJAMINY'F. FITCH, or GREENW'ICH, connno'rroun Arranemus ron-'rannsrnnnrne FREIGHT.

Application fi a April s,

This invention relates .to a system for handling freight such as is usedfor example in a terminal station forltlie distribution of packagefreight in less tha-ncarloadlotsQ My invention is. particularlyapplicable for use .With a system for. handling freight whereinremovable automobile bodies are used for storing and transportingpurposes.

In handling package freight involving less than carload lots. it is:necessary, particularly at terminal stations to break bulk for removingsome or all of the freight and transferring it either to sub-stations orto cars for direct line movement. Usually this transfer is accomplishedpositioning the cars to be loaded and unloaded adjacent the platform,and by hand trucking. the freight from one car to another across theplatform. v These transfer carsare then des-. tined either for directline movement, orfor sub-station transfer for similar rehandlii gpurposes.

I The handling and freight at terminal stations necessitatesco-nsiderable time in the handlingof each pack-z age individually from atransfer truck to the platform and then from the storage place on theplatform to the proper car.

' Accordingly to lessen the time required for such. handling anddistribution I have set forth a system embodylngthe use of removableautomobile bodies 1n Patent No.

1.437.968, issued to me December 5, 1922.

Briefly that patent shows a freight platform having railroad tracksextending longitudinally thereof and on each side for substantially theentire length. Adjacent .the end ofthe platform, there is shown a truckrun;

way together with suitable provision forraising an automobile body fromthe truck and transporting it over the platform,

lVhile the application of my invention as:

set forth in that patent is suitable for certain locations, neverthelesspart cularly in cities where the volume of businessnecessitates aplatform extending several city blocks and where the 'rQund, s ace 1senceedingly valuable, it is difficult to provide. truck run-waysattheend of the: platform;

without causing such run-waysto cross the railroad tracks. Moreovercerta n c t es prevent the use of a freight terminal where--- invehiclesmust cross the; gradeadjacent the terminal for loading and unloading purposes.

e of t Q i- -O inventio the edistribution ofpackage sitio-n; to permitremoval thereof f1 1924. Serial No. :04.957.

which the station may extend, 1

The preferred means for accomplishing the above objects is illustratedin the l ac companyingdrawings as embodying, an overhead truck-runwayand will be herein summarized in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side "elevation Of a side elevation ofalterminal station made 1n accordance wlth my invent onyFig. 2 1s an endelevatlon of the station v shown traffic along a public thoroughfareover I after fully describedin detail, while the essential features andcharacteristics willbev in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa section taken on the- 7line 33 in Fig.1; and 451s, a plan View of the ground floorof thestation shown in Fig. 1.

I have illustrated the useof: my invention as embodying a terminalstation having a platform l0'which supports thecolumns 11 ofan overheadstructure indicated in gen-, eral at 12. The space on the platform e2tending between the columns provides. for f the storage oflBlIlOVlblBfilltOlIlObllQ bod es 13 while the spaces outside thecolumngas at 1% and 1-5, constitute truck run-ways for the hand truckingof freight to and from the bodies.

The station platformis arranged to be positioned intermediate sets of 3railroad. tracks 161and 17 on which are positioned cars llg and '19which may be designated lIlbOllIlCl or 1 outbound respectively. Thebuilding comprising the station is illustrated. as a two storystructure. which is provided with ,a I crane run-way. A cane 2Q is shownas trav I eling on a trackway 2 1 which loiigi ild n y or t e r i ht plao i" To bring automobile truck bodies inf o p'o m ucks-- nd ransf lisee he i latfe t r I ate sh wn an si -erased. met ane wh ch e t nds ar an.tdthe stare lee.

th t ff i 5 has. ramps. 3 ml ch leadxfrom the runthe r "a v An advantageof my invention isthe fact that thetruck run-way may be. disposed adjacent the mid-portion of the station wherefore the distance throughwhich, the crane must tFEHQl for transferring removable truck bodiesbetween the platform and truck is materially reduced, over anarrangement wherein the truck run-way is CllSPOSCCl adacent the endofthestation platform; This saves considerable time in the course of aWorking day. A further advantage of my.

invention is thatthespa'ce within the station and beneath the truckrun-Way may be used in an expeditious manner." The broken lines as anoffice as indicated at 32. Moreover the loading and unloading of carsmay be carriedon simultaneously with the loading and unloading ofautomobile bodies asset forth in theqpatent heretofore mentioned,

while other bodies are being transferred overhead between the trucks andplatform as shown in Fig. 4 illustrates' the conven- *ience afforded fortransferring'the contents 7 of cars to the bodies and vice versa. If desired, a station may have a plurality of overhead truclrrun-w'ays atspaced inter vals whereby one train trackway may be used fora number oftrains and the expan- .sion of the stationmay thereby be readilyaccomplishedin'accordance with the require- 1. In combination, a stationplatform, means for supporting transportation devices in a rowextending.longitudinally of the platform, a set of removable automobile bodies, anautomobile truck runway extendments forfreight being handled;

ing transverscly of the platform ands'paced' vert1cally therefrom adistance greater than the height of one 'of said bodies, and a crane atsuch elevation above theplatform and on the runwa' trans ort it'overother bodies a 7 alongside the platform,

runway that it niay'raise a body from a truck and deposit it fuponftheplatform, the space betwen the platform and crane being un obstructedfor substantially the entirelength of the platform, whereby a body maybe de 7 posited at any place upon the platform."

' 2; In" combination, a station platform, means associated with theplatform for sup porting transportation devices in a' row a roadway onsubstantially the sa'melevel as said means, a

truck runway communicating with the roadway and extending transverselyof the plat form, an automobile truck, a set of remov able bodiestherefor, said runway having that portion adjacent the platform at atrucking space extending lengthwise of the platform, a set of railroadtracks extending alongside the platfornnan over-. head truck runwayextendmg transversely of the platformand also overthe tracltaaramp atone end of the runway leading downwardly to the track level, an overheadcrane arranged to travel lengthwise of the platform and adapted to lifta body from a truck positioned on the runway and to de posit it upon theplatform, the Crane runway on each side of the truck runway beingunobstructed for substantially the entire length of the platform,whereby the crane may transport a body and deposit it at any place uponthe platform; g

l. In combination, a station platform, a set ofrailroad tracks extendinglongitudi nally of the platform and substantiall on the same leveltherewith, an overhead truck runway extending over the platform andtransversely thereof, a ramp leading'downwardly from each end of therunway to the track level, and an overhead crane above the tracks atsubstantially the same level asthe tracks, said roadway constituting apub-, 11c thoroughfare, a set of removable auto-- mobile homes adaptedto be POS'ltlOIlQCl' side by side on the platfornn an overhead truckrunway extending transversely of the I plat form, there being a rampleadingdownwardlyfrom the runv'vay at each end thereof for making therunway constitute a continuation of the public thoroughfare, and atraveling crane extending longitudinally of the platform and adapted forraising bodies from trucks and transporting them over other bodies onthe platform, the crane runway being unobstructed for substantially theentire length of the platform, whereby a body may be deposited at anyplace on the platform.

In testimony whereof, I hereuntoafiix my signature.

MIN FtnrQ -f

